Sometimes It's Worth It
by Anya Urameshi
Summary: Canada and Switzerland get stuck helping babysit the States on Election Day. SwissCan


Election days were always a hassle.

Election days in the United States of America, especially, were nothing short of a headache.

Which is why Switzerland still wasn't entirely sure how he wound up sitting on a tank in the capital of said country, watching America's people mile about the White House lawn while "baby-sitting" fifty young states who had decided to make an important historical monument into a jungle gym.

"I don't even _like_ children," he muttered, staring across the sea of people with a forlorn expression and causing the man beside him to give a quiet laugh.

"They're not that bad, eh," Canada pointed out, smiling into the fur of the polar bear perched on his lap. "Most of them aren't half as rambunctious as we were as kids."

"But why do _we_ have to watch them?" Switzerland wanted to know, turning around to watch as Texas inched herself along the wheel track muttering something about wild stampeding rhinos in the rain forest while California crawled after her, a look of long-suffering on his face. On top of the hatch, stood New York, her bath-towel-gone-cape flapping proudly in the breeze as she surveyed the grounds for a moment before jumping off to chase after Maine, who was attempting to pass out her "poison cooking" to the unassuming public. "Don't they have bosses for that?"

"They're busy,," the other blonde reminded him for what was probably the fifth or sixth time that day. They'd already had this conversation many times and Canada smiled fondly as he knew that they would probably have it many more before the day was out, which was fine by him because it meant that Switzerland hadn't forgotten he was there.

(He remembers who you are,) he reminded himself, gleefully hugging Kumajirou a little tighter. (_Without_ being reminded!) "Which is more than you can say for most people, eh?" he mumbled out loud into the bear's fur.

"Did you say something?" Switzerland asked, turning to face him with a curious look. Off in the distance, Wisconsin chased after Illinois and Minnesota in an odd game that seemed to involve seeing how many people they could knock over before someone stopped them. The gunslinger gave a sigh as he realized it was probably going to have to be him since Puerto Rico had her hands full keeping Louisiana and Mississippi from killing each other and America and England were……busy.

"Ah n-no," Canada replied hurriedly. "I was just thinking about the last election I went to at my brother's place. "B-between Bush and Al Gore."

"There was a problem with that one, if I remember right," the other nation stated. "Something about missing ballots and cheating in the polls or something, right?"

"Florida was so upset. She got a lot of flak for that event, poor thing."

"Yeah, I know how that can be."

They both remembered the wartime accusations toward the Swiss bank.

"Nobody ever remembers me long enough to get mad at me," Canada replied. "Unless they think I'm Alfred."

Switzerland turned to watch as Michigan tried and failed to scale the tank a few times before Ohio finally came over and lifted her up. "I've never understood that. You guys look nothing alike really."

Canada turned to stare at the man with a stunned look. "You….you really think that?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't," the other nation replied in a slightly annoyed tone. "You guys don't even act the same. Anyone should be able to tell you aren't your brother after three minutes of conversation."

Canada wasn't entirely sure if that was meant to be a compliment, this was Switzerland after all, but decided to take it as one anyway. "Th-thanks…."

"You just have to stand up for yourself," the other nation stated, shifting his gaze to the tree a few dozen feet away that Pennsylvania was currently reading under. Up in the branches, Tennessee appeared to have fallen asleep and just as he was wondering if he should wake the girl up so that she didn't fall Arkansas took matters into his own hands by beaming her in the head with a stick. "Don't let everyone push you around. _Make_ people notice you."

The two lapsed into silence as Canada allowed those words to sink in, leaning back against the gun turret with a sigh. ("Make people notice me", eh? That's not as easy as he makes it sound though, is it? I'm not Alfred after all….)

A hand on his shoulder broke him out of his thoughts and he turned to see Switzerland giving him a rather disgruntled look.

"Wh-what?" he asked, quivering lightly as he wondered what he'd done to upset the other nation this time.

"You…." the blonde paused, clearing his throat slightly. "You were fading out again."

"Oh! Sorry! I-I just-"

"Try not to okay," Switzerland interrupted gruffly and Canada was astonished to note that the man was _blushing_. "I came here to see you and it kind of defeats the purpose if you spend most of the visit being a ghost."

Canada blinked. "Y…you…." he shook his head, a goofy sort of grin taking over his face. "You came to see me?"

"Well, of course I did," the other replied glaring down at his lap with a look of embarrassed annoyance. "You invited me didn't y…ou…!"

He was cut off as Canada grabbed hold of his face, jerking him around and pressing their lips together quickly before pulling back still beaming so widely his cheeks were starting to hurt. "Thank you, Vash."

"Th-…wh-…you…!" Switzerland stammered, blushing clear back to his ear tips as he gaped at the other nation for a moment in shock. "I…I gotta….bye!"

He then leapt off the tank and ran off leaving the other blonde to stare after him with an amused expression.

"That….." Canada paused, lifting his hand to brush against his lips with a thoughtful expression, "…was totally worth it," he decided, leaning back against the turret with a satisfied grin. "He's really cute when he blushes, eh, Kumajirou?"

"Who?" the bear asked, but for once his owner was too happy to care.

Meanwhile up on the gun arm, Indiana turned to give the boy beside her a perplexed look. "Does this mean we get a new aunt?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Nah, Swiss's a boy," Kentucky replied. "Which means we're gettin' a new uncle if anything."


End file.
